Prince Harry, Meghan Markle reveal fears for their children, Archie and Lilibet
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have given their first joint interview since their bombshell Oprah Winfrey special.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have revealed how they “want to protect” their children from the public eye as the controversial couple sat down for their first joint television interview since their explosive chat with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.
It was also announced that the Sussexes will visit Colombia in their second pseudo-royal tour after the success of a trip to Nigeria earlier this year.
In an interview with CBS in the US, which will air this Sunday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke about their new initiative centred around kids and social media, which will launch next week.
Meghan at one point called their children – Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3 – “amazing” while Harry stressed that parents need to be “first responders” amid the social media crisis.
“All you want to do as parents is protect them. And so as we can see what’s happening in the online space, we know that there’s a lot of work to be done there,” the Duchess of Sussex said in a snippet of the interview, which was shared to social media.
“We’re just happy to be able to be a part of a change for good.”
“At this point, we’ve got to the stage where almost every parent needs to be a first responder. And even the best first responders in the world wouldn’t be able to tell the signs of possible suicide. That is the terrifying piece of this,” Harry said.
A friend of the couple told People magazine that Harry is “reluctant” to put his children in the public eye given his history and that of his late mother, Princess Diana, who was killed in a car accident in 1997.
“Harry has been reluctant to show his children publicly, not out of a desire to hide them but to protect their privacy and safety from potential threats,” the friend told People.
“He wants them to lead as normal a life as possible without the fear of kidnapping or harm.”
The friend added: “As a dad and husband, Harry is determined to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself.”
The CBS interview marks the Sussexes’ first joint interview since their bombshell sit-down with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, when they threw a series of grenades at the royal family — including claims that senior members had asked what colour Archie’s skin would be prior to his birth in 2019.
It comes as the couple will embark on a tour to Colombia, days after Harry said it was “too dangerous” to bring his family to Britain.
The Sussexes, who visited Nigeria earlier this year, are to travel to the South American country in the coming months at the invitation of its vice president.
They are said to be planning to “engage with leaders, youth, and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress” as well as enjoying the “vibrant locations” of Bogotá, Cartagena and Cali.
Francia Márquez, the vice president of Colombia, said in a statement: “I am pleased to announce that Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have kindly accepted my invitation to visit our beautiful country.”
The topic of Harry’s security in the UK has long been a source of tension between him, the royal family and British officials.
Last week, in a British TV interview, Harry said of the UK: “All it takes is for one lone actor who reads this stuff to act on what they’ve read.
“Whether it’s a knife or acid, whatever it is, and these are things that are of genuine concern for me.
“It’s one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country.”
Harry remains estranged from his father, King Charles, and his brother, Prince William.
The Duke of Sussex is said to be open to a reconciliation – but only if the monarch reinstated his UK security team.
Buckingham Palace insiders insisted that decision was not up to King Charles but the British government.
Regarding the couple’s latest venture, a Sussex spokesman said: “The Duke and Duchess sat down with CBS Sunday Morning host Jane Pauley last week for an exclusive interview to introduce a program aimed at supporting parents whose children have been impacted by online harm. Jane also spoke with parents participating in the pilot program who described how it has helped their healing process.”
Back in October, the couple appeared alongside grieving parents at a panel in New York, helmed by their Archewell Foundation, where they urged tech giants to modify addictive apps that can harm young people’s mental health.
“Please stop sending children content you wouldn’t want your own children to see,” Harry said in a plea to tech firms.
“I think it’s a very simple request, and it’s an easy fix.”
Meghan also revealed at the time that they had been working in secret with tech companies over the past year.
“A year ago, we met some of the families, and at the time, it was impossible not to be in tears hearing their stories because it’s just that devastating,” she said at the World Mental Health Day event.
“I feel fortunate that our children are at an age, again quite young, so this isn’t in our immediate future. But I also feel frightened at how it’s continuing to change and this will be in front of us.”
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